In May 2026 Detroit Bird Alliance will launch the first ever Great Detroit Bird Off!

The focus of this friendly competition among the four largest parks in Detroit is to learn which park has the most bird species for the month of May, a peak migratory month. The four largest parks in Detroit are: Belle Isle, Rouge Park, Palmer Park, and Eliza Howell Park.

The Great Detroit Bird Off is a community science project that anyone of any age and birding level can participate in. 

Happy Birding, and may the birdiest park win!

To learn more and to register, click here. 

Join us for a clean up at Palmer Park meadow on March 7, 2026 from 10am to 12pm, where we will be picking up trash to beautify the area for spring. Palmer Park is part of the Detroit Bird City project to create community greenspace with meadow habitat that benefits birds and pollinators. We planted the first Palmer Park meadow in 2020 with two acres of native flowers and grasses. Now we are planting another nine acres around other sections of Palmer Park!

To learn more and to register, click here.

We are excited to share news about an extraordinary film project underway—which tells the uplifting story of the revitalization of Detroit’s essential green places, through the lens of People for Palmer Park (PfPP) and the City of Detroit, who are currently transforming Palmer Park to a new future that is truly sustainable for the next seven generations and beyond.

• People for Palmer Park has partnered with a local film production team to capture, craft, and produce a full-length documentary film about this effort, forever memorializing and sharing what it means for every Detroiter. 
• The film project is already spreading awareness and building enthusiasm for the on-going restoration effort in Palmer Park, and the potential it has for the future of Detroit as a truly green city.
  
  
  
• Our team has crafted this short 12 min sizzle reel about the film. Click the button below to watch!

100% of the film’s proceeds (and any additional support raised) go directly towards critically important on-going park restoration and long-term stewardship of the natural landscapes now being protected.

Palmer Park is a story that needs to be told…
to the people of Detroit and to the world.
This engaging, entertaining film will help more people learn about the importance/benefits of connection to nature in the city, and the novel ways that Detroit’s natural and cultural treasures are being renewed.

We have secured the highest level of talent for every element of the project, including some of Detroit’s most recognized personalities and ardent supporters. We have a number of prominent local and national contributors recruited for a film that will appeal to virtually everyone, and shed a positive, optimistic light on our City.

Partner with us in this vital work. 
Join us in telling Palmer Park’s (and Detroit’s) unfolding success story… We will be continuing the next phase of filming shortly... We are in the active, on-going process of raising the funds needed to complete and share this film while we finalize the script and filming/interview schedule. 

There are three ways you can participate: 

• Financial Support: Please consider making a donation; our most immediate need is to secure the funds to complete pre-production activities and go into production. We will then be on-track to complete the film over the summer for a national theatrical release before the end of 2025. 
  
  SUGGESTED FUNDING LEVELS
  
• $1k - Acknowledgement in the film 
• $5k - Creative input with our film production team
  
• $10k - Listed as producer in opening film credits and on movie poster
• $50k - Creative partner on the film narrative
  
   But remember, no donation is too small and ALL are appreciated!
  
  

NOTE: When donating, please leave a comment stating you
would like your donation earmarked for the FILM PROJECT!

• Tell us Your Story: We will be interviewing dozens of individuals and organizations that are part of our story… We would love to include you and/or your organization- do you have an anecdote that should be featured in our film? 
• Share with Others: Do you know other individuals or organizations that should be part of this film project?

To participate, or to learn more, please contact:
Stacy Varner, PFPP Board President - [email protected]
David Yocca - [email protected]

Our film project is built on the energy, initiative, and spirit of innovation of the amazing people of our great city…people from all walks of life who have enthusiastically and selflessly contributed their time, talent and sweat to our passionate fight to bring Palmer Park back forward to its highest potential. 

ABOUT THE DPC YOUTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
Detroit Parks Coalition (DPC) and The City of Detroit found that youth is an underrepresented demographic in our green spaces; DPC is seeking passionate and enthusiastic youth ambassadors to help bridge the gap!

POSITION OVERVIEW
As a Youth Ambassador, you will play a vital role in bridging the gap between the city's parks organizations and its younger residents. Your responsibilities will include representing youth interests on parks organizations' boards, creating engaging social content, and fostering community engagement in park activities and programs. This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about parks, community engagement, and making a positive impact in their surrounding communities. This is a paid position from November 2024-August 2025 with an expected time commitment of no more than 10-15 hours per month. 

STIPEND: YOUTH AMBASSADORS RECEIVE A STIPEND OF $3500 FOR THE FOLLOWING RESPONSIBILITIES:

Collaboration and Advocacy:

• Attend and actively participate in meetings of your parks organizations' boards and committees.
• Voice the perspectives and concerns of the youth regarding park facilities, programs, and initiatives.
• Collaborate with board members to develop and implement strategies that enhance youth engagement in parks.

Social Content Creation:

• Develop and manage social media content that promotes events, programs, and health benefits of parks.
• Receive workshops and training on creating outdoor and community centered media.

Community Engagement:

• Organize and host youth-focused events and activities in collaboration with the park stewards.
• Build and maintain relationships with local schools, youth organizations, and community groups to encourage participation in park programs.

Qualifications:

• Must be a Detroit resident age 15-23
• Strong interest in parks, recreation, and community engagement.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in social media platforms and content creation tools.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Position Length: Ambassadorship is a 1 year term with an option to extend

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS OCTOBER 21, 2024!

UPCOMING FREE WALKS

Palmer Park Earth Day
Sunday, April 23, 2023

• Park-wide Clean-Up
• Old Growth Forest Ceremony & Guided Walk
• Aziza Fairy Forest Treasure & Trash Hunt

 
Join People for Palmer Park as we celebrate Earth Day, clean our beloved park, explore the woods, and enjoy friends, family and nature. From grit to magic, we welcome all ages to pick up a bag and help make a difference.
 
Sign up at palmerparkearthday2023.eventbrite.com to volunteer and join us for a day celebrating nature.
 
Spring Cleanup! Spring is upon us and we want Palmer Park to look beautiful and vibrant for the wonderful community of people who enjoy the park. Trash pick-up, weeding, sweeping, raking, and clearing are just some of the ways to volunteer your time and energy! 
 
Aziza Fairy Forest Trash & Treasure Hunt. Earth Day at Palmer Park is also a fun family event, too! For the young ones, sign up to search for the treasures: the tiny, invisible, magical Aziza Fairies from African and their hand-painted doors that will hang from branches throughout the forest trails. Explore the forest pathways and pick up trash to leave the woods sparkling and clean.
 
Old Growth Forest Ceremony! At noon, between the two clean-up shifts, join us to welcome Nick Sanchez from the Old Growth Forest Network. Detroit’s Palmer Park’s Witherell Woods will be inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network and we want to celebrate with you!
 
The 70-acre Witherell Woods in Palmer Park is the largest old-growth forest in the Tri-County area, and one of only seven forests in the City of Detroit. This is quite an honor, since only 5% of U.S. forests remain undisturbed allowing old growth trees and plants to flourish. Following the brief ceremony, Nick and representatives from PFPP will lead a guided walk through the woods.
 
Sign up with your family, community groups or neighborhood associations, work staff, or come yourself! Please help spread the work and invite as many neighbors and friends as you can!
 
Volunteers will be deployed throughout the park to promote social distancing and to cover as much of the park as possible. Choose a two-hour shift or stay for the whole time. Additional information will be sent the Thursday prior to the clean-up with instructions and directions to your location. (Note: Ticket location is a meeting point, not the site where you will be sent to clean-up)
 
People for Palmer Park will be providing gloves, trash bags, tools, hand sanitizer, and light refreshments. Please bring your own water bottle!
 
Invite family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and any other nature lovers in your life! 

The City of Detroit, Detroit Exploration and Nature Center (DEN), People for Palmer Park (PFPP) and a team of ecological experts are working together to make Lake Frances and Witherell Woods more healthy, usable, and beautiful. This team has collaborated to initiate a substantial habitat restoration initiative in Palmer Park as one of seven projects selected to receive grant funding to benefit communities and wildlife habitats in southeast Michigan by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Over the next year, we will clean up the Lake, replace invasive species with native plants, and improve walking and biking paths on the South end of the park. We will also be developing a long-term ecological restoration and management plan for the remnant woods occupying the center of the park. We have begun the detailed planning, design, permitting and an intensive community engagement process for this effort, including a public survey. We are also in the process of seeking participation from allied stakeholder groups, agencies, and institutions, all of whom are essential to the long-term success of this effort. This amazing ecological transformation in the much-cherished Palmer Park, will provide a myriad of opportunities, including education, research, public access to nature, and others.  


Watch the first meeting of stakeholders
Here is a link to the full Stakeholder Meeting #1 Zoom call held by the City of Detroit on 3/17/2021.
This presentation gives you a great overview of the Lake Frances project and how it started and what the plans are for this beautiful habitat in Palmer Park. Learn then about the construction schedule, the expected activities and—very importantly—the Community engagement we hope all of you will be a part of. The presentation begins at the 01:13 mark if you'd like to skip the side discussion in progress at the beginning.

Take the Survey
The City is also monitoring this Palmer Park Habitat Restoration Project Survey and encourage all to give their input. Your participation in the survey will help us design our programming, outreach strategy, and communication materials. It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

​Zoom Link:
https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/rec/share/ohCbkgORqoA5eq4cQXNacYEzBRVhTPrkykXvBSncLBFZbBQyZFO6EhjRI0SQEXBJ.yxosWcgkZOU1gglM